Ideas and resources for a great garden

When it comes to gardening there is so much information out there that it’s hard to know where to get started. If you are interested in gardening, then you should already know the basics to getting started. If not then these tips should serve as a good place to start as well as a good place to expand on your gardening.

If you are new to gardening, be sure to keep it simple. Overplanting at first can lead to stress and a backyard that’s a mess rather than a beautiful garden. Also, larger gardens are more prone to weeds. Keep it small at first, and you will have a better experience.

When using fertilizer, moderation can be the key to success. While it’s true that using a fertilizer can enhance your garden’s productivity, it’s better to apply it sparingly. An overdose of fertilizer can cause excessive growth of the plant’s foliage with stunted development of the fruit or vegetables thereby reducing your harvest.

Make sure the hole you plant for a tree or shrub is at least three times wider than the root ball of the seedling. Most of the root system of a tree or shrub is found in the top foot of the soil. Planting a seedling in a small hole will result in slower growth and failure to thrive.

To make sure you’re getting a level edge when pruning your bushes, use a piece of rope or a line. Simply fasten the rope to two pieces at the approximate height you’d like the bush to be at. Seeing the bush along this straight line will make it easy to see if it’s level at a glance.

Wind up your water hose after each time that you water your garden. Winding up your hose will keep you from tripping over it, and help you find the watering end of the hose easily any time you need it. Winding the hose on a hose reel will also help your hose last longer.

To make sure you don’t harm your plants when you water them, only use water at a lukewarm temperature. Cold water can shock your plants, making it more difficult to absorb the water properly. Try filling your watering can before you go to bed at night so that it’ll be the perfect temperature when you’re ready to water your plants in the morning.

A great way to deal with weeds in a safe and nontoxic way, is to use a spray bottle of diluted dish soap to treat areas with overgrowth in your garden. Use a ratio of one tablespoon of mild dish soap per 16 ounces of water. Spray the weeds once a day and with in a week they should shrivel up and be easier to pull out.

Gardening isn’t that hard of a topic to get your mind around. You just have to start reading and learning about what you need to do, and then it doesn’t seem so difficult. So the next time you go out and attempt to start or improve on your garden, remember the tips you just learned, and you should be pleased with your own results.